New election laws signal changes for villages, townships

Jeremy Carroll

Published 12:25 pm, Monday, April 25, 2016

A set of new election bills were passed by both the state house and senate, and was signed into law by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Jan. 8.

The election consolidation law dictates what days elections can fall on, allowing local villages to elect their officials on either the first Tuesday after the second Monday in September or the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (general election day).

Other elections in the year, either special or regular, must be conducted on either the fourth Tuesday in February, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May, August or November.

All elections will be conducted by township clerks and all will be in the same location. Under the current legislation, it is not provided that a village can conduct its own election, a wrinkle which is likely to change, according to a legislative associate of the Michigan Municipal League (MML).

Summer Minnick, of MML, said originally the law was to provide that if the village chooses the September election date, they could hold their own elections. But the election bureau and Michigan's secretary of the state interpreted the law differently, she said.

Minnick said legislators are working on a "clean-up" package which will eliminate confusion on many of the election consolidation issues, including allowing villages to conduct their own elections.

"We are just going ahead telling our villages they can run their own elections in September," Minnick said. "We don't want them to be confused. It was the intent - it always was the intent - for villages to be able to run their own elections in September."

Under the new laws, village elections will no longer have partisan elections, eliminating the need for primary elections.

Only a small handful of area villages have partisan elections and only two ÑÊPigeon and Deckerville ÑÊhad a primary this year.

Janet Heckman, Pigeon village clerk, said she didn't know much about the new laws.

She said it will be up to council to decide what election they choose and if they will allow the township to run their elections.

"Hopefully we'll learn a little more in the next coming months to be able to make a more informed decision on the matter," she said.

Shortly after the law was signed, Elkton passed a resolution eliminating their partisan elections.

Lonna Fisher, Elkton village clerk, said she would be against having the township conduct the village's elections. She said the village has spent a lot of time and money in training election inspectors.

"It's like you're losing control of a little bit of your government," she said about the possibility that they might not be able to conduct their own elections. "I think everyone was so surprised (the elections were) taken out of the hands of the villages."

Fisher said having their general election in September might reduce the amount of absentee ballots sent out because they will be conducted while most residents are still in town.

She said narrowing the amount of days elections can be held is a good thing and could be more efficient and cost effective.

"A lot of people think elections aren't expensive to run, but they are," Fisher said. "It gets to be expensive. I think it's a good thing they've narrowed it down (to four dates)."

Under the law, those who were elected with terms to end in March of 2005, will now be extended until the date of election (either September or November).

Both Sen. Jim Barcia, D-Bay City, and Rep. Tom Meyer, R-Bad Axe, supported the consolidation bills. The consolidation package passed the senate and the house by relatively wide margins, with some Democrats in both cases voting no.M

The group of election consolidation bills was signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Jan. 8.

The election consolidation package forces control of school elections over to the township, but some, like Caseville Township Clerk Shelly Stirrett are apprehensive about the idea.

"It's going to be more work, and be confusing to the voters," Stirrett said.

While the package of bills was being discussed by legislators, the Caseville Township board passed a resolution opposing the measure. The township falls within two school districts, Caseville and Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Lakers.

Stirrett said she thinks the new election laws will lead to many frustrated voters.

"It will be a learning experience," she said.

One of the main concerns, said Stirrett, is if multiple entities (the school or village) were going for millages at the same time, they might both fail.

"Where it's going to on the ballot?" she said. "I'm apprehensive that way."

Stirrett said residents are going to have to get to know the issues.

"It's going to require a lot of voter education," she said. "Hopefully we'll get through it."

School districts, villages and cities have between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31 to pass a resolution following a public hearing as to when elections would be conducted.

Look for a future edition of the Huron Daily Tribune to examine how the new election laws effect area school districts.